TOOLKIT UPDATE
Next Wednesday June 6, the toolkit will be published and presented to a committee. Pressure is mounting! Check back Wednesday!
We have named it BUILD TO THINK.
Task 1: Structures
Task 2 & 3: Plan Drawings
Task 4: Environment & Energy
Performance Task - Improve your School
LESSON PLAN 1: STRUCTURE
Lesson Plan Components:
What makes up a structure? How is it constructed to stand? What is unique about it?
Objectives
Students will understand the concept of structure and apply it to a building to be able to take apart the “layers” of a building, which includes the identification of the physical properties of materials.
Student’s preconceptions: The students may only view a building from what they see on the exterior.
o Vocabulary
Bamboo, hardness,wood, coils, metal, copper, elasticity, resilience, ductility, malleability, tensile strength, malleability, foundation, wall structure (stick frame, steel, concrete)
o Age appropriate teaching activities
5E Phase
Questions/Probes
Engage
Bring in bamboo, wood, coils, metal, copper, ceramic tiles, stones, synthetic materials, plastic to class.
Divide the class into small groups. Distribute the materials among the groups and have them describe them through drawings. Collect the materials and the drawings.
Mix up the drawings and redistribute them randomly to groups. The groups must guess what the drawing represents.
Read books on the topic (see materials). For the book If you lived here: Houses of the World. What do you think these buildings are constructed from? What is unique about the architecture of the building (name three unique characteristics)?Why are certain structures more prevalent in other places?
Explore
Teacher shows class photos:
1) The Green School in Bali
2) The Mirrored Playground
3) Rural Classroom Uganda(see http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/4937 for photos)
(Teacher writes on back of photo the unique characteristics of the school. See attached pictures and resources at the bottom of the page).
Students jot down responses in their design notepads to questions from the teacher as well as impressions.
Explain
The students reveal what the structures are really made out of by flipping the pictures over. Did they recognize the materials correctly?
Students read page 372 of Observatory Science & Technology (ST) The Human Organism and the books. At this point, students acquire the proper vocabulary to describe the materials and have an idea of how the material is used.
Explore more structures on this website: http://archkidecture.org/learn.html
Elaborate
Students visit a construction site during its phases of construction and document through photos, sketches and notes. Reaching out to the experts helps students understand the regulations that might affect design and implementation of solutions and helps them gather information about new technologies. See the Highlights handout for what to ask on the site visit.
Hold a “make-o-thon”. Model a structure, perhaps on of the structures featured on the Archkidecture site or in books, using cardboard, Styrofoam, glue and any other materials on hand.
Mini Engineering Challenge: Come up with new unconventional ways to use materials. Example: springs (coil) to make your hockey skates go faster is a recent invention! Explain how the structure affects their function.
Explore their own school and label with a sticky note 3 surfaces (windows, desks, floor) stating what it is made out of.
Delve into a history lesson with the book Building Canadaand do a city tour to find the buildings and other historic buildings.
Evaluate
Quiz students on their ability to properly identify and characterize certain materials, using the proper vocabulary.
We have named it BUILD TO THINK.
Task 1: Structures
Task 2 & 3: Plan Drawings
Task 4: Environment & Energy
Performance Task - Improve your School
LESSON PLAN 1: STRUCTURE
Lesson Plan Components:
- Topic
Matter
Materials of which an object is made; other physical properties
- Guiding Questions
What makes up a structure? How is it constructed to stand? What is unique about it?
Objectives
Students will understand the concept of structure and apply it to a building to be able to take apart the “layers” of a building, which includes the identification of the physical properties of materials.
- Grade level Grade5/6
- Duration 1 class period
Student’s preconceptions: The students may only view a building from what they see on the exterior.
- Instructional materials
- Page 372 of Observatory Science & Technology (ST) The Human Organism (see resources for more information)
- Books: Exploratorium Guide to Scale and Structure, If you lived here: Houses of the World, Build it up, Building Big, Building Canada
- Bamboo, wood, coils, metal, copper, ceramic tiles, plastic and any other resources you can find
- sticky notes
- design notepads
o Vocabulary
Bamboo, hardness,wood, coils, metal, copper, elasticity, resilience, ductility, malleability, tensile strength, malleability, foundation, wall structure (stick frame, steel, concrete)
o Age appropriate teaching activities
5E Phase
Questions/Probes
Engage
Bring in bamboo, wood, coils, metal, copper, ceramic tiles, stones, synthetic materials, plastic to class.
Divide the class into small groups. Distribute the materials among the groups and have them describe them through drawings. Collect the materials and the drawings.
Mix up the drawings and redistribute them randomly to groups. The groups must guess what the drawing represents.
Read books on the topic (see materials). For the book If you lived here: Houses of the World. What do you think these buildings are constructed from? What is unique about the architecture of the building (name three unique characteristics)?Why are certain structures more prevalent in other places?
Explore
Teacher shows class photos:
1) The Green School in Bali
2) The Mirrored Playground
3) Rural Classroom Uganda(see http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/4937 for photos)
(Teacher writes on back of photo the unique characteristics of the school. See attached pictures and resources at the bottom of the page).
Students jot down responses in their design notepads to questions from the teacher as well as impressions.
Explain
The students reveal what the structures are really made out of by flipping the pictures over. Did they recognize the materials correctly?
Students read page 372 of Observatory Science & Technology (ST) The Human Organism and the books. At this point, students acquire the proper vocabulary to describe the materials and have an idea of how the material is used.
Explore more structures on this website: http://archkidecture.org/learn.html
Elaborate
Students visit a construction site during its phases of construction and document through photos, sketches and notes. Reaching out to the experts helps students understand the regulations that might affect design and implementation of solutions and helps them gather information about new technologies. See the Highlights handout for what to ask on the site visit.
Hold a “make-o-thon”. Model a structure, perhaps on of the structures featured on the Archkidecture site or in books, using cardboard, Styrofoam, glue and any other materials on hand.
Mini Engineering Challenge: Come up with new unconventional ways to use materials. Example: springs (coil) to make your hockey skates go faster is a recent invention! Explain how the structure affects their function.
Explore their own school and label with a sticky note 3 surfaces (windows, desks, floor) stating what it is made out of.
Delve into a history lesson with the book Building Canadaand do a city tour to find the buildings and other historic buildings.
Evaluate
Quiz students on their ability to properly identify and characterize certain materials, using the proper vocabulary.